Howard Dean Tears Bush a New One

Photo by Lyn Millett

DNC Chairman Howard Dean gave the Democratic response to Bush's weekly radio address (read transcript the of Bush's speech HERE (if you can stand it.) As usual the feisty head of the Democratic National Committee spelled out exactly what's going on, what's at stake, and that it's zero-hour for Bush. Here's an excerpt of what Dean had to say (you can read the entire transcript or listen to Dean HERE!

We have made it clear that we will work with the President to find a solution. In response, the President continues to say "my way or the highway," and Vice President Cheney uses divisive rhetoric to question the patriotism of members of Congress who disagree with him. That's not what the country needs right now.

It is time for the President and Republicans in Congress to stop try to bully their way through this and work with Democrats to end the war. It's time for the President to show respect to the American people, who voted overwhelmingly to leave Iraq.

President Bush and his Republican allies did not have a clear plan when they misled our nation into this war and they do not have a clear plan to get our troops out. The Republicans sent our brave men and women in uniform to Iraq without proper body armor, equipment or training. [...]

Casualty List

We have presented [our] plan to President Bush, but he stubbornly refuses even to discuss it.

We intend to see that the troops get what they deserve and we will not give President Bush a blank check for a war without end.

Contrary to what President Bush says, Democrats are funding priorities that Republicans have long ignored. We are providing $96 billion to ensure troops have the resources they need. We're providing $4.3 billion to make sure they receive the health care they deserve and we're providing $2 billion to secure our ports, mass transit and airports. That's what President Bush calls pork. We call it supporting our troops.

Seventy one percent of the American people have made it clear they want to get out of Iraq. The American people are asking: How can the President continue to ignore our voice and the voices of military experts?

Boston Tea Party

The answer is that he can't continue this way. He has forgotten the simple truth that the power he has is not his to keep, it is on loan from the American people. That's why Democrats have put forward a clear and reasonable plan to get our troops out of the middle of a civil war in Iraq.

We have a new Congress in Washington. The American people have elected us to hold President Bush and the Republicans accountable for the incompetence in Iraq, the mismanagement at Walter Reed, the purging of Justice Department officials for partisan gain. We will do what the American people have asked us to do. We will bring our troops home.

Democratic Party Website